Archives

Understanding FMLA Basics

Is your organization subject to the requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? Do all of your employees qualify? What would it take for both your organization and your employees to qualify? And what does all of this mean in terms of employer obligations?

Corporate

6 Traits of Effective Leaders

"Progressive employers seek to become the employer of choice as a means to secure a competitive advantage in the marketplace for attracting, retaining and promoting top talent." Mary Anne Kennedy highlighted in a recent BLR webinar. But how do you become an employer of choice? What differentiates a good employer from an average one? Often, […]

EPA Official Wastes Hours Viewing ToXic Websites

Employees of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are supposed to study things that are nasty. But as an agency official was spending way too much time on his computer on a shared website, a special agent who walked by got a toxic surprise.

‘My Exempt Employee Has No PTO but Needs Time Off’

PTO banks can be a great way to simplify time off requests. They can also be a way to ensure that salaried employees do not take advantage of their salaried status and take time off without boundaries. However, when poorly administered, PTO can cause employees to lose their exemptions. PTO helps to bridge the gap […]

Who’s working at home, and is home the proper place?

Workers who battle drive-time traffic, spend a significant portion of a paycheck at the gas station, and fight the distracting hubbub of the office may dream of working amid the comforts of home. There’s no frustrating commute, no office annoyances. But a good many telecommuters worry that they’re missing something because they’re isolated from colleagues. […]

Employers need to be ready for end of Oregon’s same-sex marriage ban

The end of Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage means employers need to take a look at their benefits policies and what laws require in terms of married couples. U.S. District Judge Michael McShane ruled on May 19 that the ban on same-sex marriage, which was added to the state constitution after voters passed Measure 36 […]

8 leadership lessons from a former POW

by Dan Oswald On November 7, 1967, 1st Lieutenant Lee Ellis was shot down over North Vietnam. He would spend the next five-plus years as a POW. Not only did he survive the North Vietnamese prison camps, but he also remained in the military after his release, finally retiring as a colonel. And his combat […]

Contingent Workforce 101

Employers are facing tough decisions when it comes to full-time, part-time, and contingent employees and their bottom line. Some organizations are considering the possibility of employing a contingent workforce, comprised of temporary workers or contractors, to perform necessary functions. After all, payroll taxes, benefit costs, and other employee-centric issues may be diminished by relying on […]